Winter Wishes
by Vanestea
Summary: Isabella Ashwin, shocked to hear about the Yule Ball, happily skims around school, a waiting a date. But with either Weasley Twin at her side, how much more protection can she take? George/OC, slight Fred/Angelina. HP ONESHOT


With the snow falling softly, and silently, Isabella Ashwin tugged on her scarlet and gold scarf lightly, using her free hand to tuck it closer to her neck. Her other arm and hand were clutching her previous lesson book, which was from Transfigurations with Professor McGonagall, against her ribs, the other books in a book bag over her tough shoulder.

She kept walking, humming the tune to 'New Perspective' absent-mindedly. Her mind was off somewhere else, like every time she was alone…which was often. All of her friends were in different years; Like Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Harry Potter were in their 4th year. Meanwhile Fred and George Weasley, along with Angelina Johnson and some others, were in their 6th year. They, the twins, were particularly on her mind today, because in fact, Isabella was repeating a speech, given by Professor McGonagall a couple of minutes earlier.

*

"_I have something to say to you all…"_

_A few girls in the classroom exchanged confused looks; boys look up at the professor, heads still supported by their propped-up arms. Isabella, who had been working away at an attempt to finish her homework from the previous lessons, slowly looked up. _

"_The Yule Ball is approaching -"_

_Isabella's heart skipped a beat. No way. _

"_A traditional part of the Tri-wizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialize with out foreign guests. Now, the ball will be open to only fourth-years and above – although you may invite a younger student if you wish -"_

_Some girl in front of her squealed happily, places a hand over her mouth. Some boys groaned loudly, Professor McGonagall ignored them, continuing. _

"_Dress robes will be worn and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day, finishing at midnight, in the Great Hall. Now then-"_

*

And so merrily, Isabella sat down on a bench, in the clearing near the History of Magic's classroom. She flipped open her Potions book and pull some parchment from her book bag. Around her, she faintly heard guys chuckling, but she didn't bother to look up or listen into their mumbling, she was too happy for that. Why she was happy, she did not know. She didn't know how to dance, how to act, how to dress, but something inside was merrily cheering her into the holiday spirit.

After a while of working, Isabella's 30 minute break was almost up with 10 minutes to go. The clearing started to get crowded with throngs of people. Cliques. Groups all filled around her. And about to finally finish her potions essay—

"Well, well, well, look who decided to learn the ways of Hermione, Fred-"

"Looks wrong to me, George-"

"Best be getting back to Isabel now, Hermione"

Fred and George appeared at either side of her, grinning mischievously and sitting on the bench. Isabella snorts.

"For your information, children, Hermione's in potions class right now, I doubt she'd possess my body right now."

"Ahh, but how do we know that-"

"After all, she's a smart girl she is-"

"Best keep an eye out, Fred"

"Will do, George"

She shakes her head warily, smirking. "You kids…" She mumbles, putting away her homework and, just as she attempts to get up, Fred and George intertwine their arms with hers.

"And where do you think you're going…?" George grins.

"We're not done with you yet" Fred says.

"Guys…" She groans, being dragged along through the corridors by them.

Every so often, she was stopped by a Gryffindor, or a Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, even a Slytherin. And they would ask, wondering, if she'd be going to the Yule Ball. At this, Fred cringed, and George glared, then they would spit out some nosh about her having more important things to do, or something or other.

"Where're we going…?" She moans again, "My feet are tirrred"

"Now now, must steer clear of all these jokers-"

"Can't have you deciding about the Ball without the rest of us involved, can we Fred?"

"Certainly not, George!"

"It'd be an outrage!" They both put on surprised, angered faces, which made Isabella giggle.

"If I didn't know better, I'd assume you were jealous, boys"

They gasp at her, staring open-mouthed and pretending to look hurt. Then they unlink arms with her, walking toward the wall and facing their backs to her.

"You surprise us, Isabel, believing such lies!"

She giggled again, wrapping one arm around each twin and smiling. "You know I never believe lies, children!"

In their haste, they had stumbled close to the entrance of the dungeons, where 4th year students groan and almost literally scratched at the door from Potions class, desperate to reach freedom into the corridors from said door. And without noticing, laughing amongst themselves, the three were joined by an unexpected guest.

"Been hanging 'round the Weasleys, Ashwin?" Isabella grits her teeth, hearing the annoying voice of Greasy Haired Draco Malfoy behind them. Fred and George exchange disgusted looks, struggling to turn the three of them around. Malfoy grins evilly, eying Isabella lustfully, which made Fred and George angry, not showing it, but Isabella could tell, for their grips around her shoulder and waist got tighter.

"A pretty pure-blood like you should go to the Yule Ball with an equal like me-" He glares toward the twins at either side of her, again like them, giving disgusted looks. "-Not with these filthy second-hand Weasleys"

At this, they slightly lung forward, but being attached to her, were pulled back a couple inches immediately. Isabella narrowed her eyes at him, a growl forming in her throat. Being an animagus a WOLF animagus, didn't make the situation any better.

"You know, if I was a Slytherin scum like you, I'd take you up on that offer, but I'm not, I'm a Gryffindor with class, but don't worry, I'm sure Pansy will go with you" Isabella grinned mischievously, because the three pranksters had in fact gotten Pansy with a dung bomb earlier by luring her with a sorry excuse of, 'Draco wanted to talk to you in the Transfigurations classroom, he seemed pretty confident about himself'. The twins roar with laugher at her sides, and manage to lead her away towards the Charms classroom, leaving a shocked looking Malfoy.

"What a git, asking you to the Yule Ball" George finally spoke up after some walking. Isabella looked at him curiously, what had made George so protective about this? Usually he never cared about what other guys had to say to her…the same with Fred. What made them react the way they did to Draco?

"Exactly, we'll get you a good date, Isabel, don't you worry" Fred smiled down at the younger Gryffindor. His smile was reassuring, but to be honest, she'd rather go with George than have to go with someone else by their recommendation. But then again, she didn't have a choice unless she stood her ground and told them that she was grown up enough to decide by herself.

Then there was still the possibility that George wouldn't want to go with her. Rejection was something she hated at all costs.

"Well princess, your class awaits you" George smiles, and in unison, the twins both release their grips from her, letting her breathe after her stomach had been compressed by their anger towards Draco. Isabella smiles sweetly to the both of them, grabbing her book bag and pushing it back up over her shoulder.

"Thank you, knights, I'll be sure to recommend you to Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinet--" She grins to Fred, and mumbles a quick, "You should ask Angelina to the Ball", before she slips away from their fake rage and shocked faces.

*o*

After her finally class a couple weeks later, Charms with Professor Flitwick, Isabella ducked through groups of girls who giggled at the other groups of boys she ducked away from, as they followed said witch. She was extremely disappointed at George and Fred, for because of them, she currently had no date to the Yule Ball, which was next Saturday. Doing her best to get through all the students who escaped from their finally classes, she forced her way to the Great Hall for dinner, but unfortunately managed to bump into Lee Jordan, toppling them both to the floor.

"Oh jeez, I'm sorry, Lee" Isabella rubs her throbbing forehead a bit, pulling at her book bag and helping Lee upward to stand with her. He mumbles a happy, 'S'okay Isabel', and hands her the Charms textbook that fell onto his lap.

"So been steered clear of the Yule Ball askings by Fred and George, eh?" He smiles; following beside her after she was sure she turned her back to him and stalked off.

"Ermm, yeah" She frowned. Strange, how did Lee know this…?

"You coming to Hogsmeade tomorrow morning, Isabel?"

"I didn't plan on it, but I guess so, sure, why?"

"Well, you know…" He fumbles with his book bag, managing to stand beside Isabella by the Gryffindor table. "Just wondering, we could get together for a Butterbeer or something,"

Isabella sighs, sitting herself beside Angelina Johnson, a 6th year student and one of her best friends. "Sure Lee, we'll see, alright?"

"O-Okay then, see you later t-then…" Lee smiles nervously, and after staring for a while, and being given a bored glance from Isabella accompanied by a confused look from Angelina, he stumbles over his own feet on his way around the table, gasping and recapturing his balance as he leaves.

"What was that all about?" Angelina forks the food on her plate, putting away her Potions essay into her bag and glancing at Isabella, who was already picking things onto her plate and stuffing her face.

"You know me, pretty Isabella, popular with the guys yet not interested at all" She stares, bored, into her goblet of apple juice. Angelina laughs, and Isabella turns to her, smiling.

"If the Gryffindors didn't protect you as much, you wouldn't stand a chance,"-Isabella glares

"What I mean is, you're too nice for your own good, Isabel!" Angelina lifts her hands in front of her in defense.

"Better be what you mean" She waves a fork in her face, and goes back to eating. Soon after they were joined by Hermione, Ron, and Harry. The three of them sat in their area, Ron on Isabella's other side, and Hermione and Harry across from them.

"Bloody hell, heard about the Yule Ball, Isabel?" Ron mumbled between mouthfuls of bread. Hermione looks at him, disgusted. "Don't you ever stop eating?"

"What? I'm hungry!"

The other three laugh. "Yeah Ron, I've heard, you don't know how many times I've been confronted about that"

"Heard you got attacked by Malfoy" Harry narrowed his eyes from across the table. His worst enemy, Malfoy.

"And where'd you here this?"

"The crazy git kept loud-mouthing about how you'd come about again, I highly doubt it"

"Meh," She shrugged her shoulders and stuffed her face alongside Ron, resembling not a separate person, but as if she was a gender confused mirror beside him. Hermione sends the two of them disgusted looks, slowly slipping out a piece of parchment from her textbooks.

"We've got Quidditch practice after; wanna hurry it up, Angelina?" Isabella groaned, shoving her finished assignments into her book bag and completely tearing at the piece of bread in her other hand with her teeth.

"God, you're such a pig…" Angelina mumbled, picking herself from the table and brought her book with her. Isabella chuckled, and lightly punched Angelina's shoulder. "Ah, but you know it's only because I'm extremely hungry".

"Right you lot, we're off to Quidditch practice…" She kind of feels Katie Bell's cold stare on her right shoulder. Isabella had taken Katie's spot as Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team earlier that term. Others question whether Isabella was better as a Beater (because of her talented Slytherin father) or as a Chaser (from her talented Gryffindor mother), some also wonder if Andrew's Seeker skills had rubbed off on her. Her whole family (and adopted family) has been associated with Quidditch.

"Alright, you be careful on the pitch then, heard there's been some strong winds out there" Ron mumbles through spoonfuls. Isabella quickly turns to Harry, despite Angelina's lead ahead of her. "Coming, Harry?"

He looks at her, the lightest bit of pink on his cheeks. "Umm, no, not tonight, you go on without me"

Slightly confused, she stared for a moment, but shrugged it off quickly and growled back to an angry, beckoning Angelina. "I'm coming!" She barked through gritted teeth.

Once out of earshot from the other students, Angelina tugs at Isabella's robe gently.

"What?" She hissed, leaning her head toward her.

"I think Harry likes you" She whispers in her ear, resulting in what was probably a regretful sigh…because Isabella, instead of taking it casually, belted out with hand motions and threw her arms in the air, as if begging to the heavens.

"Oh great, the GREAT Isabella Ashwin STRIKES AGAIN! You don't know HOW many times someone has said 'This person likes you', or 'That person likes you', or 'You know what I think? I think'--"

"I know" Angelina brings a hand to her face, sighing and muttering about how setting Isabella off was a common mistake. "I know--"

"I mean, SERIOUSLY! You KNOW I have no interest in ANY student at all--"

"Lies" She giggles quietly, following Isabella into the upstairs dormitories of the Gryffindor 5th year girls.

Isabella shoots her a dirty look from over her shoulder as she reaches down under her bed and pulls out her Quidditch robes and her trusty Firebolt.

"Seriously, Isabella, why haven't you asked George yet?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about" She replied in a nonchalant tone, handing Angelina her broom as they progress down to the Quidditch pitch, dressed adequately for the sport.

"The Yule Ball, Isabel…you know you want to"

It WAS true, but it was not like she'd admit it…well…not to anyone but Angelina anyway. Thinking about it gave her this forward lurch in her stomach, and she felt unbalance, not feeling up to walking for her legs felt like jelly.

"Well, it's for the same reason…"- Isabella stomps her foot into the snow, and pointed a finger in Angelina's face for a moment- "THAT YOU HAVEN'T ASK FRED!"

Angelina's jaw drops for a moment, and she attempts to speak back, but failure came out of her mouth as a quiet squeak, and her face became at once, disappointed.

"I rest my case" Isabella crosses her arms, grinning in all of her success. She wasn't very good at fighting, but luckily, Angelina was no better, an easy target, easy prey, you could say.

At once, she gave a loud sneeze once they arrived in the pitch. The snow had been silently falling over their quietness for a while.

"Alright, come on then, continuous passes, hon?" Angelina mounted her broom, and kicked off the ground in one swift movement. Isabella grinned, and willing to show off her amazing Quidditch skills, (Or in Gryffindor's opinion, anyway), she kicks off in a faster movement, capturing the Quaffle and throwing it wildly through the fifth-foot hoops, making Angelina grunt at every goal (Since she was trying to capture them).

"Can't catch what you can't see, Angelina?" She smirked evilly, and scored a goal once more. Angelina sat on her broom, panting and smiling.

"I feel sorry for the other teams' keepers, they'll be in a nasty spot against you for sure, and you amaze me, Isabel"

"Why, thank you Captain!" Isabella ducked down, trying to bow but letting her broom dive down slightly.

"Oi! You lovely ladies finished dancing up there?"

The two of them, confused, look down to see a pair of red-head twins, grinning at them from the bottom of the pitch.

"It's already dark, you children, come, the Professors are beckoning"

And so the two landed safely on the pitch, Isabella stumbling slight to where the Weasleys stood.

Already Angelina started up a conversation about the Tri-wizard Tournament with Fred. He glances at Isabella out of the corner of his eye, and she nudges her head towards Angelina, urging him to ask her.

Eyes still on Isabella, he mutters, "Angelina, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Wordlessly, she looks at Isabella nervously, and follows Fred up towards the castle, which left Isabella and George…

"So how's your day been, love?" He drapes an arm around her shoulders, following a far distance behind Fred and Angelina.

"Well I got an egg thrown at me during breakfast, turned Vitez into a flowerpot and was bitten, tripped over a ferret, and shoved against a wall by Pansy…how was YOUR day?" She replied in an annoyed tone, but smiled sweetly as she fixed herself to wrap an arm around George's middle. He chuckles, stepping over a thick log and helping her over it. "Brilliant, been bothered by anymore Yule Ball-ers?"

She stops walking alongside him, which made George shoot her a confused look.

"Tell you what, why don't you let me go with Harry, or Lee, because as of NOW, I'm going to be ALONE next Saturday OR IN THE COMMON ROOM!"

Pulling herself from his grasps, she stomps ahead of him, Fred, and Angelina, and proceeds to the common room. Ignoring their constant calls of her name, she held a hard grip on her broomstick and did well to brush away tears of fury.

*o*

Finishing her finally bit of homework, Isabella sighed, crossing her legs up onto the soft, comfortable common room armchair. She had changed out of her Quidditch uniform in a hurry, stopping the flood of furious tears, and now wore a scarlet nightdress accompanied by golden boxer shorts. Lifting her book bag, and then placing it back onto the floor with all her finished assignments, she brushed a lock of hair out of her face, and felt the warmth of the dry tear streams against her face. Why she reacted this way so quickly, she didn't know. Maybe it was because she as angry with them, Fred and George. If they weren't so possessive of her, she wouldn't look like a complete idiot at the ball. Sure, Harry wasn't that bad, neither was Ron or Dean or any of her other friends who had offered kindly to go with her, but the twins would always butt in, blocking out everything. She'd had enough of it, enough of them.

Isabella was alone in the common room; no one was ever around anymore since the tournament started. Soon enough, the portrait hole opened, and Angelina reappeared at Isabella's side, lightly stroking her head.

"Isabel, are you ok?" She whispers solemnly.

"Fine" She grumbles back, trying to position herself to hide her face.

Angelina looked worried towards her for a moment, the light of the fire flickering against her, and two other shadows. Three guesses who they were.

"George says he's sorry, he really didn't think you'd become upset with him and Fred this way"

"Oh really? Well, I did"

"He wants to talk to you"

"Does he, now?"

"Isabel--"

"Go on, go on, speak!"

Fred motions a nudge towards her, glancing at George. He nods, appearing at Isabella's other side, and staring at Angelina, who caught the idea and left silently up the stairs towards the girl's dormitories. Fred smiles, and does the same.

"Isabel--"

"What?" She replies bluntly, bringing her knees to her chest.

"Listen, I don't know if this would make a difference…but if you want I can help you find someone to go with…" He brings his left hand up and gently runs his fingers through her soft, curly hair…his other hand on the arm rest. Isabella's heart leaps forward, but trying to hide it, she looks towards him with reddish eyes, red from crying.

"Who? I've turned down basically everyone worth going with…"

"Am I worth going with?" He mumbles, his expression hidden by his right hand.

Isabella squeaks quietly, her pulse increasing gradually. She stares wide-eyed, silent for the moment, but smiling just enough to reply with a nod.

He lifts his head, brushing the hair from his face and smiling, staring for a moment, but then standing up and bringing her up with him.

"Hug on it?"

Isabella's face changes 3 shades of red and before she knew it, she was pulled into George's warm embrace, his fingers playing with the ends of her hair. The embarrassment was killing herm but she could tell that George was grinning evilly behind her back. And before he ran of upstairs, he snuck a swift peck to Isabella's cheek.

Isabella stood, kind of shocked and red in the face. Bringing a hand to her cheek, her shock slowly turned into a grin. Who cares if she looked stupid? Who cares if that was totally corny of him? One thing was certain though, she didn't need those stupid other dates.

She was going to the Yule Ball with George Weasley.

And she wasn't denying that she didn't like the thought of that.


End file.
